"I was surprised at how many esteemed bands do not have that many albums. I'm very happy that we've been able to record so consistently."

Nanobots is TMBG's latest "adult" album, a descriptor tamer than it sounds -- serving merely to differentiate from the band's recorded work for children. The band has recorded four children's albums, the latest being 2009's Here Comes Science.

Additionally, They Might Be Giants has worked on a host of projects for film and television, including Malcolm in the Middle, Playhouse Disney and Meet the Robinsons, as well as contributing original songs for a national Dunkin' Donuts ad campaign.

The combination of creative freedom and professional collaboration ("When you work for Disney, you really learn about deadlines," Flansburgh said) has allowed Flansburgh and longtime TMBG partner John Linnell to scale the heights of their musical abilities.

"We're feeling really brave about what we do," Flansburgh explained.

"We're rigorous (with our second-guessing). We don't try everything possible, but we can experiment with things boldly and still come back to the original intent without being embarrassed."

TMBG has recorded its last few projects at a private studio, not a studio complex.

While he misses the occasional creative serendipity that comes with sharing recording space with who-knows-what-other musicians ("We've become friends with some unlikely people, and I've come to learn what a bunch of weirdos musicians are"), Flansburgh said the benefits of a concentrated work environment outweigh the drawbacks.

"In a single studio environment, it's less like a clubhouse and more like a hothouse," he said.

"Everyone who is there is working on your project; everyone's goal is to make sure we're making the best music we can make.